


Collide

by WitchoftheEndorWilds



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Jedi Academy (Star Wars), Ben Solo Needs A Hug, Ben Solo is a grump, F/M, POV Alternating, POV Ben Solo, POV Rey (Star Wars), Young Ben Solo, feelings of panic, kind of, rey is a sweet cinnamon roll
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-17
Updated: 2020-05-17
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:27:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24224314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WitchoftheEndorWilds/pseuds/WitchoftheEndorWilds
Summary: Meet cute or meet ugly? It's all about perspective.Ben feels trapped in the sparkling Galactic City. Meanwhile, Rey is traveling to Coruscant for the first time to start her journey as a Jedi apprentice. Worlds collide.
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 23
Kudos: 57
Collections: Reylo Hidden Gems





	Collide

**Author's Note:**

> This is loosely based off of a [@reylomicrofics](https://twitter.com/reylomicrofics) creative writing exercise but I pretty much broke every rule. 
> 
> This is the first in-universe fic I've ever attempted. I apologize for any inaccuracies. Enjoy!

Ben clenches his jaw as he navigates the horde surrounding him, his long limbs moving at an aggressive pace. Why is everyone moving so slowly? Don't they have places to be? 

The path ahead of him is crowded with Coruscanti citizens of all species and sizes, clamoring to get to their various destinations. After the stressful dinner he’s just had with his mother he desires quiet, something severely lacking in the rush hour of Old Galactic Market.

When two Mirialans come to a jarring halt in front of him he sidesteps quickly to avoid a collision, the action pushing him flush up against the walkway railing. Skylane traffic whirs by his head thunderously, causing his irritation to boil into rage, darkness blooming in the hollow of his chest. The noise, the people—it’s all _too much_.

The bustle of the city is surrounding him on all sides, suffocating him in a sea of reflective durasteel and drab duracrete. He doesn’t recall curling his hands into fists but when he feels them shaking, nails digging sharply into his palms, he remembers his training and attempts to collect himself.

_Breathe._ He closes his eyes, craving solid earth beneath his feet or at the very least the calming waters of the lake back at the temple. “You have to find peace within yourself,” Luke always scolds. “You can’t rely on the environment around you.

Here in Galactic City there's scarcely any natural environment left to rely on anyway, harsh development having stripped the planet of it’s organic properties in favor of providing homes for its inhabitants—over a trillion sentient life forms. Sometimes it feels like he’s sensing all their thoughts, all their emotions at the same time—it’s so overwhelmingly _loud._

_Inhale._ He allows his frustration to flow through him, facing it head on. There’s no point in ignoring it or trying to shove it down, he knows it will only add to the acidic corruption burning in his chest. 

_Exhale._ Things are suddenly muted, the traffic nothing more than a distant hum as he allows a wave of calm to wash over him, dissolving the darkness in his chest until all he can feel is the calm serenity of the force in his veins.

His eyes are still closed when he feels something cold and wet hit his face, running down his cheek, and dripping down his neck. He cracks his eyes open to stare up at where the hazy sky has begun raining down fat droplets of engineered rain water. He supposes he should feel grateful to be on a level where the sky is even visible, but all he feels is resentment at the inauthenticity of the city's scheduled weather patterns.

Pulling the hood of his robes over his head he continues his trek, the familiar view of Jedi temple spires guiding his way as the chemical smell of the water fills his nostrils, making him yearn for the rains he experienced during his summers on Naboo with his grandmother. The rainfalls there are always varied and unpredictable; harsh storms casting down violent sheets of rain could turn into light melodious sprinkles at a moment's notice.

Grandma Padmé passed years ago now, but maker, how he misses her. He also misses Theed. Sure, It was a city but there was fresh air, blue skies, and so much _green_. His mother still owns the lakefront property but he doesn’t know if she's been there recently and worries it might still be painful for her if he were to broach the subject. 

The hood is doing very little to keep the chill of the rainfall at bay and he’s relieved when his feet finally meet the stairs leading to the temple’s entrance. Once he begins the steep ascent his relief is slowly replaced by an ominous sense of foreboding when his eyes look up at the statues of the four masters.

Two warriors, two sages peer down at him from several feet from above. The gray sky blends in with the duracrete of their forms and he can feel their steely eyes on him—judging him. Almost a grown man, yet his master still believes he’s not ready for the trials. 

He's had to watch as kriffing _Voe_ was knighted before him, the smug expression never leaving her face. He was born to be a Jedi knight, it’s his _destiny_. He’s powerful, stronger than any other padawan and knight alive. He could probably even rival certain masters.

“It’s not about strength,” Luke has told him over and over. Whatever that’s supposed to mean.

Once in the dry safety of the temple Ben starts to make his way to the archives, eager to lose himself in another world. The library is dead this time of night and his hands are itching for a real solid book. It’s been a rough day so he might even slip into something exciting like Alderaanian mythos. 

Ben has just sat down when he feels it—a shift within the force. Normally any major change spikes his anxiety, but the only thing he feels is curiosity. Closing his eyes he reaches out, determined to locate the source of this disturbance.

The spark hits him like a bolt of lightning, flinging him back in his seat as if he’d been physically hit.

He’s out of his chair in an instant, heart pounding in his throat as he’s drawn towards the hall, propelled towards _something_. He’s running through the library now, an action he would be aghast about anyone doing under normal circumstances.

His whole body is thrumming, panting breaths leave his mouth when he finally reaches the door. He turns to the left to begin sprinting again—

_BAM_

Ben collides chest first into a girl, knocking them both to the ground. But no, that’s not right. She’s not just a girl—an _angel_. A fiery beacon of light, so bright it almost hurts to look directly at her.

He’s on top of her, arms caging her in on both sides. He _should_ move. This is incredibly inappropriate, but her wet lips are slightly parted and he’s frozen in awe of her luminosity.

He can sense the droll of Luke talking in the background though all he can hear is soft buzzing in his ears as the blinding shine softens to a glow, illuminating her face. Brilliant hazel eyes gaze up at him and his whole universe shifts, planets aligning into place.

Forget becoming a Jedi. This girl is his destiny.

***

_So bright,_ is the first thought that runs through Rey’s mind as she descends down the ramp of Luke’s ship, the large hangar doors giving way to Galactic city. Nights on Jakku were pitch black, the moons doing very little to produce light. 

Here on Coruscant there are lights _everywhere._ Shining out of beautiful sprawling buildings, suspended from posts, beaming out of the headlights of speeders that whiz by delightfully. 

The speeders! There’s more classes in one place than she’s seen in her entire life, what she would give to get her hands on a PL-90 luxury cruiser just to pull it apart and put it back together again. Traffic of the skylane is mesmerizing. She can’t stop herself from watching them flying over, under, crisscrossing each other in a dance she'd be content to sit back and watch for hours.

“Come on, kid,” Luke yells over his shoulder, long strides carrying him away from the her.

The hangar itself is empty, but beneath her feet she can sense millions of living beings through the hum of the force—she’s never felt this _alive._ After spending years isolated and alone she’s comforted to be surrounded by so much life.

"You're gonna want to put on that poncho," he says as her footfalls fall in step with his.

"Why's that?" 

The plastic crinkles as she pushes her arms through the sleeves, shrugging it on. He hasn't had time to answer before fat raindrops are hitting her face. Rey blinks away the water falling into her eyelashes, obscuring her vision. 

Rains on Jakku are few and far between, always hitting hard and fast, leaving behind the stench of sulfur. The gentle drizzle falling from the sky is pleasant in comparison. She can't help the giggle that escapes her mouth, the impossibly clean smelling water caressing her face.

"You don't want to be caught tracking water through the temple by any of these old caretakers," Luke sighs in amusement before bringing her hood over her head, shielding her eyes from the downpour. 

"We're almost there."

Enraptured by the rain she hasn’t realized how close they are until she lifts her head, eyes widening at the marvel before her. Hearing about the acclaimed Jedi temple and seeing it were worlds apart. The behemoth of an estate appears to stretch on for miles, dominating the sky around it.

Luke is grumbling profanities under his breath about having to take the stairs when they’ve finally made it to the top. Rey stops briefly to admire the pantheon of Jedi masters welcoming her to her new home. These icons of hope are what she aspires to become one day. Bowing her head she silently vows not to disappoint them.

Luke clears his throat, bringing her back to the moment, breaking her out of her reverie. "I'll have my nephew Ben show you around. He's usually in the library at this hour."

It hits her like a gundark, how terribly out of place she is. Her eyes stare at smooth stone floors while she ponders if she'll have to explain her lack of reading comprehension skills. She can understand almost a dozen languages and speak more than a handful, but words in written form have always evaded her. The sad truth is that no one has ever been there to teach her.

"He's a little older than you, good kid. A bit rough around the edges but—"

_BAM_

The air is suddenly knocked out of her lungs, back colliding with the hard floor. She inhales, desperate to breath but there's a body on top of her, preventing her lungs from fully expanding.

His face is inches from hers, wild eyes the color of Corellian whiskey staring directly through her. She pushes on his shoulders, attempting to get his attention. He doesn't so much as budge.

Rey watches in irritation as the solid wall pinning her to the ground opens and closes his mouth in quick succession, no words coming out.

What an absolute _nerf herder._

**Author's Note:**

> I'm a newbie writer so any feedback is helpful feedback!


End file.
